Now, he has left the Conservative group and along with three Ukip colleagues has defected - to sign up for Nigel Farage Brexit's Party ahead of next week’s EU election.

Paul Francis discusses the new party on KMTV with Andy Richards

The unexpected move was seen as a coup for Farage whose party is, according to the polls, on course to win the EU election.

Mr Reckless tweeted: “I have decided to leave the Conservative Group in the Welsh Assembly as the UK Conservative government has broken its promise to deliver Brexit.”

And in a statement said that he had made a terrible mistake in trusting Theresa May to deliver Brexit.

Mr Farage was unsurprisingly delighted.

Nigel Farage in Rochester with Mark Reckless in the run up to the Rochester and Strood by-election

"The leavers in Wales are all coming back together again. I'm very pleased as leader of the Brexit Party to welcome four members of the Welsh Assembly who will now re-designate, as Brexit Party members," he added.